Battery operated light with attachment collar

ABSTRACT

A barbecue light has a collar that can be attached or removed from a handle or other elongated member of a barbecue without the use of tools. The collar has a range of closed positions with cushions mounted within the collar so that when the collar is properly installed on the elongated member, the collar will be tightly secured on the elongated member and will not easily move relative thereto. The collar has a barbecue light affixed thereto. A method of removably attaching the barbecue light to the barbecue grill is provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a collar for use in attaching a barbecue light to an elongated member of a barbecue grill, the collar having two sections that are pivotally connected to one another and several locking positions so that a central opening of the collar varies in size with the locking position and to a method of attaching a barbecue light to the barbecue grill.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Barbecue lights are known and a barbecue grill light is described in Cavan's US D464,754. The light described in the Cavan's design patent clips onto a lid of the barbecue grill. It is also known to have a light in an elongated replacement handle that extends across the front of a barbecue grill. The light replaces the handle of the barbecue grill and is usually left in place once it has been installed. Often, barbecue grills are stored outdoors and, since the light is battery operated, cold or inclement weather can greatly shorten the life of the batteries and when the light is required for night barbecuing, it will not function because the batteries are dead. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/438,216 by Witzel et al for a light for a barbecue grill was published on Nov. 18, 2004. That light is designed to fit within a handle that extends outward from one side of the lid of the barbecue grill. There can be one handle on each side of the lid and one light can be mounted in each handle. The light described in the Witzel application can only be attached to barbecue grills having handles that extend outward from either of the two sides of the lid of the barbecue grill.

Similarly, barbecue lights that are used to form a replacement handle can only be installed in barbecue grills already having an appropriate handle. Further, it is sometimes desirable to have additional lights in addition to a barbecue light or to mount the light or lights in a location adjacent to the barbecue grill, but not on the barbecue grill itself. It is also desirable to have a light that can be mounted on virtually any barbecue grill, regardless of the handle design of a particular grill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a collar that can be removably placed on virtually any elongated member having a size within a predetermined range. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collar that can be mounted on elongated members of various cross sectional shapes. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a collar having a barbecue light attached thereto where the collar can be placed laterally onto an elongated member. It is a further object of the present invention where the same collar can be placed successively on elongated members of different sizes and can be made to fit tightly on each of the elongated members when the collar is in a closed position. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collar that can be used to attach a utility item to an elongated member where the collar can be tightly secured to the elongated member without marking or damaging the elongated member.

A removable collar is used to attach a barbecue light to an elongated member of a barbecue grill. The collar comprises two sections, being a first section and a second section pivotally connected to one another along a pivot axis. The utility item is located on the collar. The first section and the second section each have a free end and the collar has a closed position and an open position. The free ends each have corresponding interlocks thereon, the interlocks having a plurality of interlocking positions over a predetermined range. In the closed position, the interlocks are engaged with one another and a central opening surrounded by the sections varies in size depending upon the interlocking position. A removable collar for attaching a light to an elongated member of a barbecue grill comprises two sections. The sections are sized relative to one another and have interlocks thereon to enable the sections to be releasably locked together. The interlocks are constructed to provide a plurality of interlocking positions over a predetermined range. In the closed position, the interlocks are engaged with one another. In the open position, the interlocks are unlocked relative to one another. In the closed position, the sections surround a central opening, the central opening varying in size with the interlocking position.

A method of removably attaching a barbecue light to an elongated member of a barbecue grill uses a collar having two sections pivotally connected to one another along a pivot axis. The two sections are a first section and a second section, the sections each having a free end opposite to the pivot axis. The free ends have corresponding interlocks thereon to lock or unlock the collar in a closed or open position respectively. The method comprises commencing with the collar in the closed position, unlocking the interlocks and moving the free ends apart from one another, placing the collar on the elongated member so that the collar can be made to surround the elongated member, moving the free ends together to a locked position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collar in an open position;

FIG. 2 is an end view of a light and the collar in a closed position without cushions;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the light and collar of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the collar and light with the collar in a closed position having four thick cushions therein;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the collar and light with the collar in a closed position and having two thick cushions and two thin cushions installed therein;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the collar and light with the collar in a closed position and having four thin cushions installed therein; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the light and collar where the collar is installed on an elongated member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of a collar 2 having two sections 4, 6 that are pivotally connected to one another along a pivot axis 8. Each section 4, 6 has a free end 10, 12. The free end 10 has sawteeth 14 along an outer surface thereof and the free end 12 has corresponding sawteeth 16 extending along an inner surface thereof. The sawteeth 16 on the free end 12 extend for a longer distance than the sawteeth 14 on the free end 10. The collar 2 is in an open position with a gap 18 between the free ends 12, 14. The gap 18 shown in FIG. 1 is not the maximum gap as the free ends can be rotated further apart from one another than is shown in FIG. 1. On an outside 20 of the section 4 there is located a connector 22 for receiving a barbecue light (not shown in FIG. 1). The connector 22 is a ridge with a dovetail shaped cross section. Preferably, the barbecue light is removably attached to the collar. Instead of being removably attached to the collar 2, the barbecue light can be integral with the collar 2. The collar 2 has an interior surface 24, 26 on each of the sections 4, 6 respectively. There are four cushions located on the interior surfaces 24, 26 of the sections 4, 6. Two of the cushions 28 are thick and two of the cushions 30 are thin. All of the cushions 28, 30 are held in place by a dovetail shaped ridge 32 that extends into a dovetail shaped channel (not shown in FIG. 1) located in each section.

In FIG. 2, there is shown a side view of a barbecue light 34 affixed to the collar 2 at the connector which is obscured by a corresponding connector 36 mounted on the barbecue light 34. The barbecue light 34 shown is a barbecue light as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/438,216 except that the previous barbecue light has different attachment means than the light 34. The light 34 is considered to be conventional and will not be further described. The same reference numerals are used in FIG. 2 as those used in FIG. 1 to describe those components that are identical. It can be seen that the collar 2 is in a closed position and there are no cushions contained within channels 38. When the collar 2 is in the closed position shown, the collar has a central opening 40. From FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the outer surface of the section 4 containing the sawteeth 14 is parallel to the outer surface of the section 6 at the free ends 10, 12 respectively. The collar is in a locked position in the position shown in FIG. 2. However, the collar can slide closer together to other locked positions until the free end 10 of the section 4 contacts an abutment 42 on the section 6, thereby decreasing the size of the central opening 40 beyond that shown in FIG. 2. It can be seen that the collar 2 has a pre-determined range of interlocking positions that commence when the sawteeth first begin interlocking as the two free ends first begin to override one another and ends when the free end 10 contacts the abutment 42. The central opening 40 is either larger or smaller depending upon the locking position of the two sections.

In FIG. 3, the same reference numerals are used to describe those components that are identical to the components of FIGS. 1 and 2. The collar 2 has four identical cushions 44, which are approximately as thick as the cushions 28 shown in FIG. 1, but narrower than the cushions 28, 30 shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 4, the collar 2 is shown in a closed position with four thick cushions 28 installed in the dovetail channels (not shown in FIG. 4). The same reference numerals are used in FIG. 4 as those used in FIGS. 1 to 3 to describe those components that are identical. In FIG. 4, by observing the sawteeth 14, 16 closely, it can be seen that the collar is not quite as tightly closed as the collar shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 5, the same reference numerals are used to describe those components that are identical to the components in FIGS. 1 to 4. The collar 2 in FIG. 5 has two thin cushions 30 and two thick cushions 28 that are located in the same position as the four cushions shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 6, the collar 2 has four thin cushions 30 installed therein. The same reference numerals are used in FIG. 6 as those used in FIGS. 1 to 5 to describe those components that are identical.

In FIG. 7, the collar 2 is installed on an elongated member 46. The cross sectional shape of the elongated member 46 is not shown, but as long as the collar is large enough to surround the elongated member in the closed position, the collar can be installed on a cylindrical elongated member, a square elongated member, an oval or elliptical cross sectional shaped elongated member, a hexagonal elongated member etc. The collar will fit virtually any shape of elongated member as long as the elongated member and collar are sized relative to one another so that the collar can surround the elongated member in the closed position. It can be seen that the cushions 28 fit tightly against the elongated member 46. The light 34 is shown to be oriented upsidedown in FIG. 7 because, when the collar is installed on the handle of a barbecue grill, the light 34 is normally oriented upsidedown so that it can shine onto the cooking surface (not shown) when the lid (not shown) is open. Of course, the light can be easily oriented to be in an upright position on the member 46 by removing the collar and rotating it upside down from the position shown. The same reference numerals are used in FIG. 7 as those used in FIGS. 1 to 6 to describe those components that are identical.

The size of the central opening 40 can also be varied by installing thicker or thinner cushions or, even no cushions in the collar. Instead of having individual cushions, one continuous cushion on each section or two larger cushions than that shown can be used. One purpose of the cushions is to enable to collar to be tightly connected to the elongated member so that the collar will not rotate relative to the elongated member once it is properly installed on the elongated member. Another purpose of the cushions is to prevent the elongated member from being scratched, dented or otherwise damaged by the collar. The cushions simply slide longitudinally into or out of the dovetail channels in the sections.

The elongated member to which the collar is reasonably attached will vary as well. The elongated member may not be located on a barbecue grill. For example, the elongated member can be a branch of a tree. The elongated member can have both ends affixed to a barbecue grill or it can have one or two free ends. While the connection on the light itself is not shown, the connector 22 has a projection with a groove along each side to slidably receive a corresponding channel and projection on the connector 36 of the light 34. Preferably, the connection between the light and the collar has a dove-tail shape.

Preferably, the sections 4, 6 of the collar 2 are made from a rigid, but slightly flexible plastic. The sections must be rigid enough so that when they slide together in a locked position, the sawteeth will prevent the collar from being easily opened. The sections must also be flexible enough so that the free ends can be manually pried apart by a user without the use of tools in order to move the collar from the closed position to the open position. The sawteeth provide a range of locking positions so that the collar has several closed positions. The sawteeth are interlocked and the invention is not restricted to the interlocks being sawteeth. Other types of interlocks that provide several locking positions over a predetermined range can also be utilized.

When installing the collar on an elongated member, the collar is moved to the open position and the gap is made sufficiently wide so that the collar can fit laterally onto the elongated member so that the sections will surround the elongated member when the collar is moved from the open position to a closed position. Preferably, manual pressure will be exerted on the two sections to slide the two sections toward one another until the collar fits tightly onto the elongated member or the free end 10 contacts the abutment 42. If the collar is still not tight when the free end 10 contacts the abutment 42 and it is desired to have the collar tightly secured on the elongated member, it may be necessary to open the collar up again and replace some or all of the cushions with thicker cushions. To open the collar, the free ends are manually pried apart from one another so that the sawteeth are essentially out of contact and then the two sections are pivoted away from one another. The cushions are replaced and the collar is then re-installed on the elongated member and placed in a closed position where the collar is tightly held on the elongated member. 

1. A removable collar for attaching a light to an elongated member of a barbecue grill, said collar comprising two sections, being a first section and a second section pivotally connected to one another along a pivot axis, said utility item being located on said collar, said first section and said second section each having a free end, there being two free ends, said collar having a closed position and an open position, said free ends having corresponding interlocks thereon, said interlocks having a plurality of interlocking positions over a pre-determined range, in said closed position said interlocks being engaged with one another and, in said open position said interlocks being unlocked relative to one another, a central opening surrounded by said sections varies in size depending upon said interlocking position.
 2. A collar as claimed in claim 1 wherein said collar has a sufficient gap between said free ends in said open position to be placed laterally on said elongated member, said collar having sufficient size to surround said elongated member in said closed position.
 3. A collar as claimed in claim 1 wherein said two sections are generally rigid with a small degree of flexibility for locking or unlocking said collar.
 4. A collar as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first section has an interlock on an outer surface of said free end, said second section having an interlock on an inner surface of said free end, said two sections being sized and shaped so that said interlocks move relative to one another in opposite directions in a parallel relationship in contact with one another over said predetermined range as said sections move.
 5. A collar as claimed in claim 4 wherein said interlocks are a plurality of sawteeth oriented transversely to a direction of movement of said sections.
 6. A collar as claimed in claim 5 wherein there are several sawteeth on each free end.
 7. A collar as claimed in claim 6 wherein there are a greater number of sawteeth on one of said free ends than on another of said free ends, some of said sawteeth interlocking with one another over a range of movement of said sections.
 8. A collar as claimed in claim 3 wherein there is a cushion on an inner surface of said sections, said cushion contacting said elongated member when said collar is in said closed position.
 9. A collar as claimed in claim 7 wherein there are a plurality of cushions on an interior surface of said sections.
 10. A collar as claimed in claim 9 wherein said cushions are removable and replaceable in said collar.
 11. A collar as claimed in claim 10 wherein said some of said cushions are thicker than other of said cushions.
 12. A collar as claimed in claim 3 wherein said collar has a ridge on an outer surface thereof to removably attach said barbecue light to said collar.
 13. A collar as claimed in claim 3 wherein said collar is flexible enough to unlock said interlocks, but rigid enough to maintain said collar in said closed position when desired.
 14. A collar as claimed in claim 12 wherein said cushions and said sections are sized so that said collar fits tightly on said elongated member when said collar is in said closed position.
 15. A collar as claimed in claim 12 wherein said cushions are attached to said collar through dovetail connections.
 16. A collar as claimed in claim 9 wherein said cushions are spaced apart from one another.
 17. A method of removably attaching a light to an elongated member of a barbecue using a collar having two sections pivotally connected to one another along a pivot axis, said two sections being a first section and a second section, said sections each having a free end opposite to said pivot axis, said free ends having corresponding interlocks thereon to lock or unlock said collar in a closed or open position respectively, said method comprising commencing with said collar in said closed position, unlocking said interlocks and moving said free ends apart from one another, placing said collar on said elongated member so that said collar can be made to surround said elongated member and moving said free ends together to a locked position.
 18. A method as claimed in claim 17 including the steps of locking the collar in a closed position on said elongated member in which said collar fits tightly on said elongated member.
 19. A method as claimed in claim 18 including the step of adding a cushion on an interior surface of said collar.
 20. A method as claimed in claim 19 including the steps of adding a plurality of cushions.
 21. A method as claimed in claim 20 including the step of determining whether to add cushions that are thicker or thinner to ensure that said collar fits tightly on said elongated member in said closed position.
 22. A removable collar as for attaching a light to an elongated member of a barbecue grill, said collar comprising two sections, said sections being sized relative to one another and having interlocks thereon to enable said sections to be releasably locked together, said interlocks being constructed to provide a plurality of interlocking positions over a predetermined range, in said closed position, said interlocks being engaged with one another in said open position, said interlocks being unlocked relative to one another, in said closed position said sections surrounding a central opening, said central opening varying in size with said interlocking position. 